Meadow Gallentine felt confident before last week’s District 10-2A Meet.
But even the Big Country’s top thrower was a little surprised when she surpassed the 40-feet mark, reaffirming her chances of making a trip to Austin next month.
“When I hit 40 feet, it was such a surreal feeling,” Gallentine said. “I couldn’t believe it. I remember telling my teammates that I had it in me to throw 40 at that meet.”
Photos may be purchased for $7 each by clicking on the small shopping cart emblem below the lower right corner of the gallery. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
LINK … GAME STORY: Albany rallies to knock off top-ranked Anson 7-5
ANSON — As a general rule of thumb, things get easier when you move down a class following realignment. But with every rule, there are exceptions.
In the case of the Anson Tigers, a drop to Class 2A DI from Class 3A DII doesn’t mean a lighter district load — at least not in 2020. On the contrary, the Tigers’ new digs are 
about as difficult as one can expect in class 2A. And when one expands it to an overall regional view, the road to Arlington from Region I-2A DI is exceptionally difficult.
“There’s a lot of similarities,” coach Chris Hagler said when asked to compare District 3-2A DI with his former league, District 4-3A DII. “I don’t know if they’re too different as far as competition.”
It has been a while since Anson football coach Chris Hagler had to cultivate a new group of quarterbacks and make a decision on who gets the starting job.
For the last four years, his son Drew (now at West Texas A&M) started behind center, helping the Tigers to four straight playoff appearances in that span.
Heading into 2020, the Tigers have a modest 11 of 22 starting jobs occupied by returning starters with 14 lettermen from last year’s 7-4 club.
With Drew’s graduation, however, the Tigers have a rather large void to fill — one that has produced 5,971 yards passing and 3,484 yards rushing over the last four seasons.
Football is fast approaching, and we at BigCountryPreps.com are committed to bringing you the information you need to prepare for your favorite team’s season.
We’ll be releasing our Big Country Preps Preseason Football Preview, the most comprehensive look at the upcoming Big Country football season anywhere, on Friday, Aug. 14. But you won’t have to wait until then to sate your gridiron appetite.
Leading up to the first day of fall football practice on Aug. 3, we’ll be spotlighting each 11-man team in the area and posing some of the key questions they’ll face in 2019 as part of our “Countdown to Two-a-Days” series.
After featuring Santo on Tuesday, we move to District 3-2A Division I with the Anson Tigers. On Thursday, we will take a look at the Colorado City Wolves, followed by the Forsan Buffaloes on Friday.
The “What Might Have Been” feature series is Big Country Preps’ effort to celebrate area athletes who have seen their seasons affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The series will continue through June 15.
After flashing ace potential as freshmen in 2019, Jim Ned’s Tate Yardley, Anson’s Trevor Miller and Winters’ J.P. Killough had big things planned for their respective sophomore campaigns.
The three hurlers, part of a young crop of Big Country pitching standouts that also includes fellow sophomores Brooks Gay of Wylie and Snyder’s Derek Dominguez, were hoping to take the next step in their development and further cement their places among the area’s top arms.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent suspension/cancellation of all spring sport seasons by the University Interscholastic League limited their mound time to a handful of early-season outings. But it hasn’t kept them from continuing their pursuit of excellence.
All three have remained active in their training through the shutdown, viewing this period as little more as a speed bump on the way to their ever-increasing goals.
The “What Might Have Been” feature series is Big Country Preps’ effort to celebrate area athletes who have seen their seasons affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The series will continue through June 15 or until the UIL rules that high school athletics statewide may resume. If you have a suggested story for the “What Might Have Been” series, please contact Big Country Preps at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com.
Photos courtesy of Daril Gonzales, Anson Tigers Sports Pics
Anson’s Trevor Miller is a sophomore so the suspension of UIL spring sports because of the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t interrupted his final high school season. But baseball is Miller’s only sport so the timing of the stoppage cut just as deep.
“I just play baseball so it’s disappointing. It’s good to have my brother to practice with,” Miller said of his freshman brother, Nick. “He and I throw to each other and take swings. We have a batting cage at home so we can hit in the cage.
“We’re doing all we can to stay in shape and be ready in the hope that we can get back to playing.”
ANSON — Between teaching class, doing the laundry, grading papers, meeting with parents, studying video, running tournaments and in some cases, driving the team bus, a basketball coach’s life is arduous to begin with.
Now try doubling it.
While it may be common for a handful of individuals to accept the challenge of coaching a boys and girls program simultaneously, only a precious few succeed at both over the long haul.
Anson’s Ryan Dollar, however, is currently making a strong argument that it can be done — leading a dual AHS hoops resurgence that has both the boys and girls programs challenging for playoff spots.
Continue reading “FEATURE: Anson getting its money’s worth out of Dollar in dual hoops resurgence”
ANSON — When studying videotape of Friday’s 45-40 loss to Childress, the Anson girls basketball team will likely find several key plays that would have helped to reverse the result of the title game in the Ninth Annual Lions Club Holiday Tournament.
But perhaps none were more important than a third quarter foul drawn by junior Landry Overby, which saw her take an unintentional blow to the head while driving for a layup. Shaken up, Overby was subsequently removed from the game, leaving the already size-challenged Lady Tigers at a big disadvantage to CHS.
Overby, who was named to the all-tourney team, finished with seven points. But without her on the floor during the final period, the Lady Tigers, who trailed 29-28 after three quarters, saw the game gradually slip away.
Cisco 47, Coleman 0 — The Loboes rolled up 533 yards in total offense including 490 yards rushing in a big win over Coleman.
Quarterback Gibson Hearne only threw four passes, but rushed for 150 yards on just five carries for two TDs. Stanley Callahan also had a big night, rushing for 106 yards on six touches with one score.
Five different Loboes had rushing touchdowns as Cisco improved to 5-1 and 3-0. Coleman, which was limited to 61 total yards, fell to 3-3 and 2-1 and saw a three-game winning streak snapped.
Anson (1-2) — The Tigers are one of three teams in this district to have won their first game prior to their bye week. Whether that’s an advantage or disadvantage is open for debate.
AHS will open league play next Friday with a difficult road trip to Bangs.
Ballinger (3-0) — The undefeated Bearcats enjoyed a week off, giving them a little extra time to prepare for the visiting Cisco Loboes in their district opener next week.
This will be one of the biggest games to be played in Ballinger several years.
The winner of that matchup will have a leg up in district play, if the preseason projections are accurate, that is.
ANSON — A shootout may have been anticipated, but a trench war was what the spectators received Friday when the visiting Hamlin Pied Pipers opened the season with a 27-7 win over Anson at Tiger Stadium.
Jackson Sepeda rushed for 90 yards and two scores and Braydin Warner rushed for 93 and another score to lead Hamlin (1-0), which never trailed in 2019’s first Big Country Preps Game of the Week.
Anson, which was led by Drew Hagler’s 223 yards in total offense and one rushing TD, dropped to 0-1.
Got the truck started yet?
Ready to jump on one of those farm-to-market roads to watch high school football into the late hours on a Friday night?
You’re not alone.
And, as tradition would have it, I tip my cap to those of you who will be hitting the trails each week in search of pigskin. My salute: a preseason menu of sorts.
Each week for the next 11 weeks, Big Country Preps will be searching for its Game of the Week, and we’re already looking ahead. We now present our preliminary list of Big Country Games worth traveling for, but keep in mind: the following list is subject to change as surprises and disappointments emerge.
And as we all know … surprises and disappointments always emerge.
So, without further delay, here is our list of Big Country games worth traveling for in 2019.
I’ll see you on the road.
ANSON — For two straight seasons, Anson senior dual-threat quarterback Drew Hagler has posted numbers to rival any high school signal caller in the Big Country.
As a sophomore in 2017, he threw for 1,547 yards, rushed for 1,266 and accounted for 28 touchdowns. Last year as junior, while playing on a youthful 5-6 team making its Class 3A debut, he put up 2,021 yards through the air, rushed for 1,163 and had a hand in 29 scores.
This year, however, a senior-dominated Anson club with experience throughout its roster, has furnished Hagler with the opportunity for a breakout campaign, even by the standards he has already set.
ANSON — The Anson Tigers absorbed a double-whammy in 2018, being bumped up to Class 3A by realignment while at the same time, having its roster depleted of experience by graduation.
Coach Chris Hagler’s junior-laden crew slugged its way through a 5-6 campaign at the higher level, gradually improving as the season progressed to post a 5-2 district mark and reach the playoffs.
This year, however, the Anson camp is hoping that last season’s toil will finally pay dividends. There’s reason to believe that could be the case, with eight offensive and nine defensive returning starters among 18 lettermen.
This includes senior quarterback Drew Hagler (2,021 yards passing, 1,153 rushing 29 total TDs), who is about to embark on his final season behind center for the Tigers.
Photos may be purchased for $7 each by clicking on the small shopping cart emblem below the lower right corner of the gallery. Our company watermark “BigCountryPreps.com” will be removed from all purchased photos.
GROUND-ORIENTED WINTERS NEARLY PASSES ITS WAY TO STATE TOURNEY
JIM NED QUALIFIES FOR STATE ON ITS HOME FIELD
PHOTO GALLERY: DIVISION II STATE QUALIFIER AT JIM NED
CLYDE — With Clyde’s Payton Laughlin on the hill, the Anson Tigers knew coming into Tuesday’s District 5-3A road game that they would have to take advantage of what few opportunities that came their way.
Unfortunately for AHS, Laughlin was able to close the door nearly every time it opened, stranding four Tigers in scoring position in a 5-1 Clyde win.
Tossing a three-hitter with 12 strikeouts, Laughlin (6-1) overcame three errors behind him and three of his own walks to earn the win with his seventh complete game of the year. His ERA dropped to 1.12 in the process.
ANSON — Some unusual sounds were audible in Anson on Thursday and Friday, coming in the form of unified voices, chanting something completely foreign to rural Texas.
How foreign? About 8,400 miles worth.
Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! … Oi! Oi! Oi! Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! … Oi! Oi! Oi!
After a strong six-year run in what is now Class 2A, the Anson Tigers are adding an ‘A’ to their classification this fall.
But while fifth-year coach Chris Hagler acknowledges that development is the most intriguing storyline surrounding his program this season, he doesn’t seem too concerned by it.
Coming out of a district that featured Stamford, Hawley and Post, the Tigers won’t see a level of play significantly better than they’re used to, Hagler said. And he believes Anson, which won 10 games in 2012, 2013 and 2016 will have as much control over its playoff fate as it ever has.
The Anson football team is coming off a tough 5-6 season, was moved from Class 2A Division I to Class 3A Division II at realignment and returns fewer lettermen than all but one of its seven district mates. But if fifth-year Tigers coach Chris Hagler is more nervous than normal heading into the upcoming season, he’s hiding it well.
With six offensive and five defensive starters back among its 10 returning lettermen, Anson has a solid nucleus to build around. And Hagler expects the young guys joining the mix to make whatever adjustments are necessary to become contributors themselves.